Questions on Amber in headlights

[PaulE]

I bought some very tired headlights as I've decided I want to build a spare set of projector headlights after successfully disassembling one of mine to re-epoxy the projector lens into its shroud. The headlights I purchased have amber turn signals. After I got them I saw that the amber sections were two different colors. The driver side is more orange, and the passenger side is more yellow/amber. I'm just curious, were there two different color ambers in the headlights over the years or has one just faded a lot more. I didn't want to de-amber the lights for my project, so I just found another passenger side headlight with an orange turn signal that better matches the driver side. The picture of the 3 headlights shows the difference in color, the middle one is the one I bought to have a better match.



The passenger side headlight with the yellow/amber section also has something weird attached to the inner lens. It is a clear cylinder about an inch long, filled with a clear liquid and perpendicular to the inner lens. There is some dirt on the inside of the outer lens so it's possible that this light was previously opened up. Just curious has anyone ever seen this on a Boxster headlight? Here are a couple of pictures of this thing.

[Anker]

That inner lens has been burned and melted. There are two holes right through the lens. This typically happens when someone decides that the head lights are too weak and puts a high wattage bulb in. That light is toast!

[particlewave]

I’ve noticed the same thing, but can’t seem to find a pattern to it.
I thought it was fade at first, but I’ve seen pristine amber lights with the lighter turn signal, so I think it’s a manufacturing change.

[PaulE]

Thanks, yes that inner lens is completely gone and the one on the driver side lens is too. The other passenger side headlight I bought to better match the orange amber on the driver side is nearly perfect - can't tell for sure until I open it, but the inner lens looks like it isn't burned at all, the rubber gasket is perfect and the outer lens isn't cloudy at all, it has just a few small stone nicks.

But there is that gizmo on the inner lens of the burnt passenger with the more yellow amber. Looks like some kind of level and I've never seen anything like it.

[bg305]

Originally Posted by PaulE

Thanks, yes that inner lens is completely gone and the one on the driver side lens is too. The other passenger side headlight I bought to better match the orange amber on the driver side is nearly perfect - can't tell for sure until I open it, but the inner lens looks like it isn't burned at all, the rubber gasket is perfect and the outer lens isn't cloudy at all, it has just a few small stone nicks.

But there is that gizmo on the inner lens of the burnt passenger with the more yellow amber. Looks like some kind of level and I've never seen anything like it.

Yep. It is a "Spirit Level". I was poking around the manual trying to figure out what a "disconnected" hose was i posted in another thread and i came upon this:



Interestingly, it says it was omitted at the beginning of the '98 model year.

[PaulE]

Originally Posted by bg305

Yep. It is a "Spirit Level". I was poking around the manual trying to figure out what a "disconnected" hose was i posted in another thread and i came upon this:



Interestingly, it says it was omitted at the beginning of the '98 model year.

Thanks, so this is a very old headlight I have. In addition to the inner lens being totally fried some of the wiring insulation is cracked and peeling too. I guess you'd have to have your car parked on a dead-nuts level surface for all 4 wheels with the proper wall to shine your lights on to get the aiming of the headlights properly set and the liquid level in the right spot!